Railroad time-signal



(N0 MOdeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. G. MORGAN.

RAILROAD TIME SIGNAL. No. 341,343.

Patented May 4, 1886.

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WI TWESSES vand Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4 is a moditl- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID G. MORGAN, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT.

RAILROAD TIME-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,343, dated May 4:, 1886.

Application filed May 14, 1885.

.T 0 @ZZ whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID G. MORGAN, a citizen ot' the United States of America, residing at Rutland, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Time Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon,A which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to railroad ti nie-signals; and it consists in the improvements hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying` drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a side View of my improvement. Fig.2` is also a side view taken from the opposite side ofthe apparatus,

cation, ol' my improvement.

A represents a suitablyconstructed frame, which consists of upright bars a a. Between these bars is located a suitable clock mechanism, B,which islocated between plates B'. The train of gear-wheels B is provided with suitable balance-wheel and a spring or detent, b, by means of which the movement of the train etl gear-wheels is regulated.

l represents a main gear-wheel, which Vis attached upon a shaft which passes through the plates 3', so that said wheel O will project beyond the casing. This wheel O isprovided on its inner side with the ratchet-wheel c and a pawl, c', and the wheel O, hereinbefore referred to, is so connected toits shaft that it may turn freely thereon in .one direction, but will cause the shalt to rotate when turned in an opposite direction. The casing or cover ing'plates B are rigidly attached between the parts a (t of the frame by means of Straps or other equivalents, b. i

Brackets or plates D D' are attached to the same side of the frame on which the wheel O is located, and these brackets serve as guides and supports for a signallrod, E,whiel1 passes through perforations in the horizontal projecting portions of said brackets.

To the lower bracket, D, is attached a short i Serial No. 165,484. (No model.)

section of pipe or tube, e, which is provided under said bracket with a longitudinal spiral slot, f, which extends half-way round said tube, and the signal-rod is provided with a pin or bolt, f', which passes through said slot, so as to cause said signal-rod to turn one-halt` way round when said signal-rod is elevated.

G represents a suitable sliding tube or bar, which is provided with a socket through which passes the signatrod E, and adjacent to said socket the sliding piece G has attached a raek-bar, g, which rack-bar engages with the gear-wheel O, which is connected to the train or clockwork, so as to wind the same when said bar is raised.

The location of the rack-bar g and the socket may be changed by moving the block H, which embraces the signal-red, and is provided with the clamp-screw h, which passes through said block and bears upon the signalrod, and said block is independent or not di rectly connected with the sliding piece G. The object of this block is to regulate the movement of rack a.

lThe sliding pieceG is pivotally connected at its lower end to straps l. I, which are secured to the end of a lever, J, said lever being supported adjacent to the rail of the track by a bracket, K, as shown. 1 The lever nearits end adjacent to therailroadtrack rests upon a pivoted pin, lc, a groove being provided in the unv der side of said lever, which its over the pin 7s, and the upper part ofthe sidepieces ofthe bracket K has a transvcrsepimk', which passes through the same and over the upper edge of the-lever, thus preventing the upward displacement of said lever. By this construction thelever .l is attached to its support, so that no strain is placed upon the parts by the contraction or expansion of the lever. The end of the lever adjacent to the railrord-rail is enlarged, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and its npper edge presents the segment ot a circle, so that the car-wheels will ride easily over the same, and the tread of the rail is cut away or recessed for tlicreccption of this enlarged end.

The bracket D, which is secured to the frame, is provided with upwardl y-p rojecti ng supports L for the lever or pivoted bar Q, one end of which isbifurcated, so as to embrace the signal-rod and bear upon the lower edge of the IOC sliding piece G. The opposite end of this pivoted bar Qis pivotally connected to a vertical rod, N, the upper end of which is reduced in diameter, so as to provide acollar, a, near its upper end, and said reduced portion passes through an eye or guide, n.

The upper bracket, D', has. attached to its under side supports m m to which is secured, an angle-bar, M, the end o of said angle-bar being provided with an opening through which passes the reduced portion of the rod N, so that it may rest upon the shoulder a. The opposite end of the bar N is provided with the depending catch O, which is formed integral therewith, and said catch is adapted to engage with an adjustable block, Rattached to the signal-rod E, the lower portion of said block being bell-shaped, as shown. The catch ofthe bar M is curved on its face, as shown.

The normal condition of the parts of my improved ralroad-signal is shown in the accompanying drawings, and when a train passes over the end of the leverJ thelong end ofthe same will be elevated, this movement causing` the signal-rod E to be raised and turned onehalf way round. The rack-bar g is also raised, and contacting with the large wheel C will cause the same to turn when the slide-pieceG israised. The catch O on the bar M will then engage with the block l? and hold the signalrod elevated. As soon as the train-has passed over the end otthelever Jthe slide-block, with t-he rack-bar, will commence to descend, its movement being retarded by gearing or clockwork which may be adjusted so that it will take a predetermined or certain period of time between the commencement and end of the descent of said sliding bar. I/Vhen said sliding bar descends sufficiently to come in contar t with the bifurcated end of the lever Q, it will depress said bi furcated end and cause the bar `N to rise, which contacts with a lever, M, so as to release its catch from the block P, attached to the signal-rod. Thesignal-rodwill then fall and resume its normal position. By this arrangement trains will be prevented from running into each other from the rear, and they may be kept by means of the improved signal hereinbefo re described certain distances apart.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 4 is a modification of my improvement, in which case the construction is varied slightly so as to provide for turning the signal-rod without elevating the same, the rotary movement being caused by raising the rack-bar g so as to elevate the groeved sleeve G. The signal-rod is made fast at its lower end to the frame I', and the straps I are connected to the rack-bar. By this construction no jar can come upon the signal-rod when it is turned. The sliding pieces G e,through which the signal-rod passes,

l. The combination, in arailroad-signal, of

a vertically-moving rod carrying a visible signal, a sliding rack-bar adapted to move upon said signal-rod, blocks secured to said signalrod, a lever supported adjacent to the railroadtrack and connected to said rack-bar, a train of gearing, B, a wheel, C, engaging with said rack-bar and connected to said train of gearing B, pivoted levers Q and M, a rod, N, connecting said levers, and a catch, O, engaging one of said blocks, as shown, whereby the signalrod is held in. position to display the signal till the rack-bar descends sufficiently to release a supporting-catch, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a railroad-signal, the combination, with a lever, J, a rack-bar, and straps I, connecting said lever to said rack-bar, of the signalrod having attached thereto blocks H I), and a pin, f, a socket, e, with groovesf, levers Q M, having a catch, O, and connecting-rod N, and gear-wheels, the parts being organized substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a railroad-signal, a rod, a signal mounted thereon, a lever adapted to be operated by a passing train to vertically move said rod, a grooved socket through which said rod passes, a pin in the signal-rod and extending into the groove, blocks H P, attached to the signal-rod, a sliding rack-bar having a socket through which the signal-rod passes, links I I, connecting the rack-bar withv the operatinglever, the pivoted lever Q, having a bifurcated end which embraces the signal-rod, and bar N, having a reduced end, a pivoted lever, M, the end of which embraces said reduced end, a catch, O, formed integrally with said lever M, a wheel, C, meshing with rack-bar, and retarding mechanism connected with said wheel C, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. f

DAVID G. MORGAN. Vitnesses:

ALFRED N. WHITE, WM. D. GOODWIN.

I co 

